Cyprus' leading on-line resource for home buyers & real estate investors -

29th March 2024
Cyprus Property News logo
HomeNewsFundamental planning reforms

Fundamental planning reforms

FUNDAMENTAL reforms are planned to Cyprus’ time consuming and complex procedures involved with the licensing and control of building development, according to a recent announcement by the Interior Ministry.

The Ministry is working with the Austrian Finance Ministry to develop proposals and recommendations based on best international practices, which are expected to be completed by the end of July 2017. These will rationalise: Planning and Building Permits, Certificates of Approval, the enforcement of building control, the issuance of Title Deeds; they will also include the oversight of projects and take into account environmental considerations.

Earlier this month experts from overseas held intensive talks with government agencies and stakeholders including: the Public Administration Reform, Department of Planning and Housing, Department of Lands and Surveys, Department of Environment, Water Development Department, Fire Department, CTO, Energy Service, Labour Inspection Department, Union of Municipalities, ETEK, Associations scientists engineers, Federation of Building Contractors Associations of Cyprus, Planning Authorities, Building Authorities, Cyprus Land and Building Developers Association, CCCI, OEB, Water Boards, Sewerage Boards, etc.

The present discrete systems for obtaining planning permission and building buildings will be rationalised into a new simplified system to be operated by a single authority in each of the island’s districts.

The ministry acknowledges that these fundamental reforms will be difficult and complex, but vital for the future development of the island. If it succeeds, the ministry considers that the reforms will help boost the economy as building permissions will probably increase.

RELATED ARTICLES

6 COMMENTS

  1. Dear All

    Can you believe my late father has over 50 titles all being for trees!!

    Yes trees that grow in the ground lol, we have trees carob trees with titles and properties without!

    What can I say “it’s an absolute joke”.

    Ed: I wouldn’t call it a joke, I’d call it criminal that you’ve not got titles for your properties.

  2. Hi All

    Any new procedure/policy that takes away control/power from individual departments will not get the go ahead.

    They are all in it together batting off each other. Just look at the group above: government agencies and stakeholders including: the Public Administration Reform, Department of Planning and Housing, Department of Lands and Surveys, Department of Environment, Water Development Department, Fire Department, CTO, Energy Service, Labour Inspection Department, Union of Municipalities, ETEK, Associations scientists engineers, Federation of Building Contractors Associations of Cyprus, Planning Authorities, Building Authorities, Cyprus Land and Building Developers Association, CCCI, OEB, Water Boards, Sewerage Boards, etc, etc what others could there be? and that’s just to build a house.

    God forbid

    Phil

  3. The Ministry is working with the Austrian Finance ministry?

    What the hell for, I gave the minister in a meeting I had some 3.5 years ago with him, this problem can easily be resolved overnight.

    1) any new planning permissions obtain over 2 units should be given separate title at this point

    2) any building violations should be taken up with the planning enforcement officer pending court actions

    3) or adopted the British system

    Title should mean Title and nothing more, building matters are building matters and should not interfere with the title.

    All outstanding titles should be given full amnesty and titles regardless of final approvals as the government and its cronies are to blame for this mess.

    Ed: One of the key problems is that the availability of a Title Deed depends on whether the construction complies with the various permissions & permits issued for its construction.

    In my own case, I bought land and received its Title Deed. I then built my house on the land, but if it didn’t comply with all permissions & permits I wouldn’t have ‘lost’ the Title Deed and I would still have owned the land and the house I built on it.

    Another issue is that every man and his dog has to inspect the property. In my case the village mukhtar plus the local authority plus the Land Registry (I had two visits from the Land Registry). Depending on the type of property others are inspected by the Fire Service, Sewerage Board etc., etc..

    It’s crazy!

  4. Campbell you’re right. If this system is seen as too ‘seamless’ the whole excercise will be seen as a waste of time and money.

    However, we live in hope…..

  5. All this sounds good BUT cynic that I am – in this country decision makers are in each others pockets and if someone is going to lose out financially they will vote against it and delay, delay, delay.

Comments are closed.

Top Stories

Sign up to receive our free newsletter

We handle your data responsibly, find more about our privacy policy

Cyprus property transfer fees

Elsewhere in Cyprus Property News

EUR - Euro Member Countries
GBP
1.1684
RUB
0.0101
CNY
0.1285
CHF
1.0436

Property capital gains tax (CGT) calculator